Weeds

At last the weather has warmed up here a touch, and the rise in temperature has truly made me happy. Many of the trees have all of a sudden sprouted their vibrant green leaves and everywhere looks very lush and promising. I find that the weather/temperature very noticeably affects my moods, probably because so much of my daily routine is spent walking about in it. Today's mild-with-a-slight-haze made me feel like meandering, so Little B and I detoured off route and walked the Long Way home from nursery.

The Long Way involves an extra loop of walking around the back of the castle, following the beck.

Then it's a left hand turn up this little lane, past the chickens, then back down the steep hill to pay a quick visit the old Corn Mill (we like to go inside and pull the handle so that a torrent of water is released onto the old wheel to make it turn. Good fun for a four year old)

I noticed whilst walking that the dandelions are already out in force, everything seems early this year. I really do have a soft spot for the common dandelion, despite the fact that it is a weed and therefore often thought of us undesirable. That yellow is just so incredibly cheerful and happy, it never fails to make me smile. I don't think I've ever, ever picked dandelions before though, well not since being a small child. It has never occurred to me to gather these wild undesirables from the grassy verges and bring them home. That thought really surprised me today, and I couldn't help wondering why not? Maybe because as children we were told that if you picked dandelions they made you wet the bed (anyone else heard this?!).

It felt a little bit naughty to bring home a posy of flowers that I had picked growing wild, but I kept reminding myself that these are common weeds and there was certainly no shortage of them.

Oh that golden yellow is really rather lovely! A small stem of early cow parsley came home with me too, another common weedy plant around these parts.

I popped them into a small blue jug and sat them on my table just as I would normally do with my market-bought bunches of flowers. They look cheerful and unpretentious and add a welcome splash of colour which made my heart flutter a little.

Have you noticed the crochet mat underneath the jug? It's a mandala pattern that I've been playing with this week, made from scraps of Stylecraft Special DK acrylic. For those of you who have often wondered what on earth a (pretty-but-useless) mandala can actually be used for, well this is a very good job for it I'd say. I think it looks remarkably pretty displayed with the jug of weeds.

Along with the giant Starflower Mandala decorations I'm making for Yarndale, I'm also working on a creative project with these smaller versions. I designed this one using five colours of Stylecraft yarn (raspberry, petrol, fondant, magenta and cloud blue) :: the middle four rounds are the same as my Happy Flower, and the rest was just added on as I went, inspired by this. I'm making a tutorial for this mandala if you fancy giving it a go, more of that coming very soon.

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♥...more little snippets from the Attic...♥

Mandala Flowers

The Jolly Chunky Bag :: Ta-dah!

Autumn Colour

Outdoor Living

Birthday Weekend

Comments

[Cheryl Branche]

The mandalas are delicious. What glorious color combinations you have come up with...and your walks are simple splendid.

[Susan van Lierop]

I also was told not to pick them, but not bacause of wetting the bed. The milk from the dandelion stems makes very nasty stains in clothes, that's almost impossible to remove. So maybe the story about wetting the bed was also used to make a mother's life a little easier? (Less laundry is always good, but imagine it without a washing machine!)
I love dandelions. They make me feel nostalgic :)

[Jan Quigley]

Mum always calls them wet the beds but she said it was because they smell like stale wee, lol. They do add a splash of colour & I hate mowing over them because they look pretty. I've read lately that we should let them grow & not pull them out because the bees love them. Sounds good to me! I don't see any harm in picking a bunch of weeds to cheer your home, I may just do the same!

[trish]

When settlers came from Europe to the "new world", they brought dandelion seeds with them, because this whole flower is edible and helps with digestion. The young greens are great in salads or can be sauteed (the way you would any green). Here's a website with a bunch of recipes I've never tried (but probably will) http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2014/04/dandelion-recipes.html#sthash.ZlhO3lTO.6GRjDV7l.dpbs

[Sue B]

Dandelion is a diuretic and I believe it's called piss en lit in French

[Lizy Tish]

A gorgeous mat for your jug of pretty flowers!

[Anne Bebbington]

As a child I was also always told that picking dandelions made you wet the bed - it obviously was drilled into me so strongly that even now at 54 years of age I'd hesitate to pick one - funny how things from so long ago stay with us so strongly

[Rachell]

Ditto - to sparklepetal's comment they definitely stain your hands.
I'm a wondering what to do with mandala person and think they're just a 21st version of a doiley, but this looks very pretty. I'd picked a posy for my dinner table tonight and actually they would look ok on the new style doiley. I might make one after all ;-)

[Lilia]

we picke dthem growing up in New York all the time. We brought them to the adults like a bouquet of roses!

Now I make salads with garlic and hard boiled eggs that my mother in law taught me to make using the leaves. It's delicious and healthy! A very valuable weed to me!

[mouse]

Yes - that's an old myth with the Dandelions (also why the French name is "Pis en Lit" = "Wet the bed").

They're used in herbal medicine to help with the urinary tract etc.

Loving the yellow - my favourite!

[Claire]

How funny- I have a pretty jug of weeds too! My daughter gathered a posy of cow-parsley, ribwort plantain and some forget-me-nots which is now gracing the landing window-sill. And, I've picked dandelions since I was a small child and have never wet the bed! x

[Mrs S]

Just be careful Lucy that your recent notoriety does not go to your head. I have noticed you are turning ugly with your ego. Do not forget your manners and act with grace. Kindness is free and brings much joy into the world. You have changed so much and I would not wish your kind of energy in my life. Ego makes you ugly.

[Robin]

Our Dandelions here in southern California are the size of a quarter and arent worth picking. Yours are beautiful! I have never heard about the bed wetting part.

[A-L]

just need to add this. Have you ever tried to cook with dandelions? because I did last summer and the children loved the fried dandelion flowers! You pich them unopened and fry in nice olive oil, sprinkle with a bit of blackpepper and a sprinkle of sea salt and that's it. They are a bit bitter (in a way capers are) but really nice if you like bitter stuff.

[A-L]

oh really? so you don't normally make garlands out of dandelions? because that is what we do. Always. I did them when I was a little girl and my daughters make them now.... It just is one of those things that belongs to childhood.

[One Earlybird]

I had never thought to pick dandelions as a posy either but that's probably because they like to try and overrun my garden. Also your dandelions are also so big they take on flower status. compared with the ones here in Australia.

[Shanda]

More loveliness! Happy day to you~

[Laura]

Oh my gosh!, What an interesting conversation here on Dandelions! Thank you all for the info. " One man's garbage is another man's treasure" :) Lucy, you sweet, talented, inspiring,expert crochet teacher; such a beautiful post once again! Love your pictures; funny how my young relatives in the UK and their friends want to be in the U.S. when many in the U.S. want to be in the UK? Your blog is a real treat, just keep writing! Thank you <3

[Karen@Mix•Ture43]

HI Lucy, yes dandelions make you wet the bed or so I was told too! Lovely to see them on your table, much underrated as floral contributors go and that's a shame when they make a great little posy. Mandalas are looking awesome! Karen xx

[crochet my world]

Thought I'd let u know that I have seen what I think is a new book called '100 lacey flowers'. It's from the same makers as the one you ( and I ) use. I haven't bought it yet but i'm sure I will.

[Carol]

Beautiful Mandala.
If Dandelions were rare we'd all be wanting grow them. We forget weeds have their own beauty.
Carol xx

[anne]

Could there be a place on your blog where i can put my results? To show how wonderful your paterns are!

[Jacqueline]

Oh yes, my mother always warned me of the consequences of picking dandelions. I agree, everything does seem so early this year and I think, so vibrant.
The mat is very colourful, looking forward to seeing more at Yarndale!

[Olga Ortiz]

Hola Lucy! Me encanta tu blog. Es mi inspiración. Soy del Sur de Argentina, no hablo ingles pero adoro las fotos de tus trabajos, de tu decoración y aunque no entiendo el idioma quiero felicitarte por tu dedicación como ama de casa, como mamá y como tejedora.
Cariños desde la distancia.

[Jen]

I used to pick dandelions quite a lot, but for the purposes of feeding them to my tortoise I'm afraid! I did admire their beautiful colour en route to their chomp chomp destruction though! All this mandala making is very inspiring-I can't wait to have a go myself! But I have to, because I have a child to look after ;-) Roll on bedtime!